2020

Season 6 · 2020 · 28 episodes

Episodes

1Holograms, Lasers & Boredom; the CED's march towards eventual invention (CED Part 4)Alright, here it comes! The fourth part.
2Old-fashioned rice cookers are extremely cleverBet you didn't think a rice cooker was so interesting, did ya?
3Race to the finish; RCA's final gamble (CED Part 5)The end is near. The death knell approaches. What will become of RCA’s invention? And is this really the end? Would you like fries with that?
4Brown; color is weirdThis video discusses the color brown. Seriously.
5Teleprompters are clever, simple, and also pretty neatYep. Teleprompters. That's what this video's about.
6The Computer-free Automation of a Jukebox (Electromechanics)Ever wonder how we made all these crazy machines do all their crazy machine things before computers came along? Wonder no more as we explore the inner workings of a Wurlitzer 3400 series jukebox from 1970!
7The Selection Accumulator; a Jukebox's BrainToday, we take a look at the selection accumulator; how it works, what it does, and how that relates to the rest of the machine. Strap in, folks!
8Chest Freezers; What they tell us about designing for XThis video is super cool. We're talking about refrigeration, and how the design of a refrigerator affects its energy consumption. Freezers are the perfect place to see this in action, so let's take a look!
9Coffee Percolators: An Explanation and RoastDo you like your coffee to have a little kick? Then try a percolator! It's like tasting a shoe! Seriously. Why are these still a thing? I don't know but let's talk about them!
10DVD+R and DVD-R; What was that about?We're really looking at the plusses and minuses of this whole ordeal...
11Fans; High is next to Off on purposeThis video is absolutely fantastic. Ever wonder why it goes Off-High-Medium-Low? Well, it has to do with motors and the ways we cheat with them.
12Pulse Oximeters; An Amazing Use of LightYou might have been seeing a lot about these little devices lately. Have you ever wondered how they work? Well, let's find out!
13How to design an actually good toaster with lessons from the 1940'sI love this toaster so dang much.
14The US electrical system is not 120VIt's more than 120V. It's even more than the other 120V! It is the sum of the two (and sometimes a different two!) that makes us who we are. Learn about the US electrical system in this not-at-all snarky video!
15Laptop Docks! They're pretty neat!I know, my use of a laptop (and worse, that I like it!) makes me a truly terrible person.
16Cassette adapters are remarkably simpleIt's a real lost opportunity that we didn't call these Cassettepters. It's not-at-all difficult to say! OK, maybe Cassepter would be easier but isn't that, like, a sword or something? The descriptions are getting weird.
17Personal "air conditioners" aren't what they seemYou know, it's one thing when a product has a limited scope and application. It's another when it's passed off as something greater than what it is. Learn why these fad devices are fad devices in this video.
18The Impact Sprinkler - more clever than it seems!It's that time again! Time to take a deep dive into the mundane to see what we can learn. Join me as we look at this sprinkler!
19A record player that can play CDs: The Fisher DAC-145Well now, what do we have here? It's a CD player... but also a turntable? Hmm... very interesting. But why? How? And is it actually a good idea? Lucky for you you've clicked on this video and will find out!
20Retroreflectors; they're everywhere, and they cheat physics (sort of)Road signage and other markings may be something you take for granted, but have you ever wondered how they can appear so brightly with just the output of your headlights? Find out how, and get a load of other trivia, in this video!
21The touch lamp; a neat idea, and older than you'd think!I think we really oughta make this fashionable again, don't you?
22Electric car chargers aren't chargers at all – EVSE ExplainedCatchy title! But it's mostly true! There's a pinned comment you might want to read, as well. But there's some links down here, too.
23Forced-air Furnaces: The What, Why, and HowLet's not get too heated, this is after an inflammable subject. Frankly it's exhausting, but we gotta do it. We gotta explain how furnaces work! And soon, we'll talk about what will replace them. I'll try to remember to put a link here when that time comes!
24Camera Tech from 1971: Match-needle exposure meterEver wonder how pro cameras from the 1970's worked? Learn about their single most important tool for the photographer (and lots else!) in this exposé.
25The Antique Microwave Oven that's Better than YoursSeriously. How is this so old and yet so advanced?
26What exactly is the goop inside a lava lamp?Yep! Gonna get questionably gloopy!
27Bubble Lights: The Weirdest Christmas Light?Yes indeed, these are silly! Very silly! But, mesmerizing.
28Detergent packs are kinda wishy-washy (Dishwashers Explained)Ever wonder how dishwashers work? Are you ever bummed by the performance of yours? Well, this video can answer your question and possibly provide you with a solution!